New Delhi: The owners of Goa’s Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, brothers Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, have been taken to Goa by the Goa Police following a two-day transit remand granted by a Delhi court.

Visuals showing the duo in police custody at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport surfaced online early Wednesday as they were being flown to Goa.

The brothers were formally arrested by a Goa Police team on Tuesday after being deported from Thailand, where they had allegedly fled following a deadly fire at their Arpora nightclub that claimed 25 lives on December 6. They were produced before the Patiala House Court, which permitted the police to take them to Goa for further investigation.

Granting the remand, Duty Metropolitan Magistrate Twinkle Chawla allowed a 48-hour transit period and directed authorities to ensure the accused receive their prescribed medicines during transit. The court declined the police request for a longer remand.

According to investigators, the fire broke out during a fire show at the nightclub in North Goa’s Arpora area. Preliminary findings suggest the event was conducted without adequate safety measures, including proper fire-fighting equipment and emergency evacuation facilities. The nightclub allegedly lacked emergency exit doors on the ground and deck floors.

A criminal case has been registered at the Arpora Anjuna Police Station under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, for negligence and endangering life.

Earlier, a Delhi court had rejected the brothers’ plea for transit anticipatory bail, citing the seriousness of the allegations. The Luthras were detained by Thai authorities in Phuket after Indian agencies moved to suspend their passports and sought their deportation under due legal process.

The brothers are expected to reach Goa shortly.